A Memorable Speech
by Kristen3
Summary: When Martin suddenly passes away, it leaves a huge hole in the Crane family. But David, now a teenager, wants to remember his grandfather by speaking at his memorial. Written as a tribute to the late John Mahoney. Also a late birthday gift for the amazingly talented Melinda (samanddianefan10).
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I've been wanting to do a tribute story for John Mahoney ever since I learned of his passing. At first, I had no ideas, but something on a recent episode of _This is Us_ , combined with my own experiences, led me to this. The story has snowballed quite a bit. I never expected it to get so long! Also, I feel that I should mention Melinda ( **samanddianefan10** ) for all of her support and encouragement! Please do R&&R!

Daphne softly knocked on David's bedroom door. He was no longer the little boy who used to crawl up in her lap and ask her to read a story. No, he was in high school now, almost a man. Daphne sometimes missed the days when he was young. But, Niles, of course, always comforted her when those feelings came. She knew she couldn't stop her son from growing up.

When his mother opened his door, David removed the headphones he'd been wearing and turned around. "Oh, hey, Mom."

"How's the math homework coming?" She walked over to him, giving him a teasing look. David was a good student, but homework was hardly the first thing on his to-do list. Many times, he'd done assignments at the last possible moment, just before Daphne made him go to bed.

"Oh, I'm done with that," he said, showing her the completed work. "Actually, I was working on something else."

Daphne waited, sensing that David was leading up to something.

"It's about Grandpa's funeral. Do you think he'd like it if I spoke? Like, if I said a few words about him?"

The question stunned Daphne. Her father-in-law had suddenly passed away a few days ago. She and Niles, along with Ronee, had made plans for a funeral, complete with all of the honors given to a former policeman. She and Niles had broken the news to David as gently as possible. He and Martin had been very close, at least when David was a little. As he'd grown up, friends, sports, and other things had taken the pIace of sleepovers and weekends with his grandfather. David had reacted to his passing rather stoically. He'd been sad, of course, but not nearly the way his parents had been.

Daphne realized that David was looking at her, waiting for an answer. "Yes, I think he'd like that. But, David, you don't have to do it. I think your uncle is planning to make a speech, and he swears he'll keep it under an hour." She chuckled, knowing how her brother-in-law could be long-winded.

"Yeah, I know there are other people who want to talk about what Grandpa meant to them. I mean, his cop buddies can talk about how he made Seattle safe, and how he got shot preventing that robbery. And that's all great and everything, but it's not what _I_ remember about him. I remember how when I was little, I used to spend the night with him and Ronee whenever you guys went out. He'd let me stay up and watch the Seahawks play, or even just to watch an old movie. I didn't really understand what was going on most of the time, but I just liked being with him, you know?"

Daphne smiled. She'd always suspected Martin didn't exactly follow her rules on David's bedtime. But she'd never confronted him about it. After being 3,000 miles away from his only grandson, it seemed only fair to let him spoil David a bit. "That would be lovely, David. If you're sure you want to do this, your father and I won't stop you."

"Thanks, Mom," David said, getting up to hug her. The embrace took Daphne by surprise; she nearly lost her balance. "I've already started jotting down some notes in case you said yes. But I'm going to work on it as much as I can between now and the service. I want this to be really great, because I know Grandpa deserves that."

Throughout his life, Daphne had been proud every time David reached a milestone: walking, talking, starting school, and so on. But right now, she couldn't imagine every being more proud of her son than this. She knew Niles would be even more touched when she told him.


	2. Chapter 2

"You'll never guess what our son wants to do," Daphne said as she entered the master bedroom.

"Daphne, you have to let him grow up. I miss when he was a little boy, too, but you know he can't stay like that forever," Niles replied.

"No, it's nothing like that. David wants to make a speech at your father's memorial. He says that the cops and everyone else won't be talking about the things he remembers."

Niles couldn't help being surprised. "I think Dad would be proud. I know I am. Public speaking has never been my favorite thing." Just the thought of it made his anxiety kick in.

"David doesn't seem to mind," Daphne said, walking over to him.

"You know what I was thinking about before you came in here?" Niles asked, taking her in his arms. "Dad and Frasier and I really didn't become close until Frasier moved back here and he took Dad in." It seemed like a lifetime ago, but he knew he and Daphne could both recall those days as if they'd happened yesterday.

Daphne nodded. "When I first met your father, I never dreamed I'd think of him as me own father. Or that I'd be married to you." She kissed him.

For a moment, Niles enjoyed the feel of her lips on his. "You know, I think it was _you_ who brought us closer," he said.

"Oh, don't exaggerate…." Daphne said, feeling herself blush.

"No, I mean it. Frasier took Dad in, and then he hired you. I met you, and felt an overwhelming attraction. That caused me to visit Dad and Frasier almost daily. I was there to see you, but, along the way, my relationships with the two of them started to change."

Daphne knew her husband made too much of the role she'd played in bringing them together. But it would be useless to argue. They'd had this conversation dozens of times over the years. For now, she let herself get lost in his eyes. They both crawled into bed, but sleep was the last thing on their minds.

In his room, David stared at what he'd written. He'd already mentioned the nights he'd spent at his grandfather's. But wasn't there more to their relationship than that? He glanced around his room, seeing all of the sports memorabilia he owned. All of it had been given to him by Martin. It was an attempt, from the very start, to get the boy interested in sports. For a moment, David imagined what it must have been like when his father and uncle were growing up. The stories he'd heard painted a very clear picture. Suddenly, David began to write. This might be the most difficult thing he'd ever done, but he didn't mind. He knew his grandfather was worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

David took a deep breath as he walked up to the podium. Next to him was the casket where his grandfather lay. He glanced over at it, feeling his throat tighten. But he remembered what he came here to do. He looked up, seeing that it was a dark, cloudy day. Of course, that was typical Seattle weather, but David liked to think that, perhaps, even nature was in mourning.

As he looked at the crowd before him, David smiled nervously. "Well, I won't bore you all with a bunch of facts about my grandpa's life. You already know he was a cop. And that he was shot stopping a robbery at a convenience store. My dad likes to say that bullet is the best thing that ever happened to him, because it brought my mom into everyone's life. If you haven't heard the story of how my parents got together, you should really ask my dad about it. He usually tells it to anyone who'll listen." He laughed, looking over at his parents. He saw them both smiling at him proudly, and that gave him the strength to continue with his speech.

"I wanted to make a speech today because I knew there were parts of my grandfather's life no one else would be able to talk about. From the time I was little, my parents used to leave me with Grandpa and Ronee, who insists she's much too young to be my grandmother. But she did used to babysit my dad and my uncle when they were little, so I'm not really sure that's true." He gave an apologetic look in Ronee's direction. He saw her smile, even as she wiped a tear. "My grandpa would always let me stay up later than I was supposed to. He'd let me watch a Mariners game, or some old movie. I didn't understand what was going on most of the time. But I just knew I liked being with him."

"As I got older, I began to realize why Grandpa loved to spoil me. You see, my dad and Uncle Frasier didn't get along so well with Grandpa when they were kids. Grandpa liked beer and sports. They liked opera and classical literature. It wasn't until they were adults, after my mom came along, that things started to change. It wasn't easy, but I know we're all grateful for the way things turned out. When I was born, Grandpa really wanted me to love sports as much as he did. My dad….well, he had other ideas. But they both understood the idea of compromise, so now I do understand football, but I also listen to classical music sometimes. My mom says I've got a little of both sides of the family in me." Once again, David's eye was drawn to his parents. Their smiles told him that everything he was saying was the truth, and they couldn't be prouder to hear him say it.

"I'm in high school now, so of course, my teachers keep asking me what my plans are for the future. I don't really have all of it figured out yet. One thing I do know, though, is that whatever path I choose, my parents will both support me. My dad says that, from the moment I was born, he knew he wouldn't try to force me into one career or another. Even if I end up doing something that's not exactly what he would've picked, he knows he can't make the choice for me. That's something he learned from his father. So, you see, my grandfather may be gone, but his influence lives on. In my parents, my uncle, and all of our family. And I know it lives on in me, too. I'll never forget that." He glanced again at the casket. For a moment, his throat was so tight he couldn't speak. He managed a small nod, before walking back over to where his parents were sitting. He felt an overwhelming sense of relief, knowing his speech was over.

Almost before David had reached them, Daphne was out of her seat. "That was a lovely speech." She hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, Mom. It was harder than I thought, standing up there in front of everybody. But I knew I had to do it, because no one else was gonna say all that stuff."

Niles stood, shaking David's hand. "I'm glad you spoke about Dad's personal life. He was never one for sentiment, but we always knew he loved us, even when we didn't get along."

David nodded, understanding what his father meant. Before he could say thank you, David was pulled into yet another hug, this time by his uncle.

"Well, if I had any doubts as to whether you had inherited any of those Crane genes, they're certainly gone now!" Frasier said. "When I took Dad in all those years ago, I had no idea it would lead to this." He gestured to all of them, referring to the family.

"None of us could've seen what a blessing that would turn out to be," Niles agreed. He slipped his hand into Daphne's, kissing her cheek. "I not only found the love of my life, but I had the greatest son a father could ask for."

David smiled, feeling himself blush. He knew the casket would be buried, and Martin Crane's body would be laid to rest. Even so, the family he'd helped to create would remain. David looked at the others, sensing that they were thinking the same thing. The Cranes were far from perfect, but they were a family. That was one thing that would never change.

 **The End**


End file.
